New Delhi [India], July 29 : The Rajya Sabha faced an uproar on Tuesday during the Operation Sindoor debate when Leader of the House JP Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge engaged in a verbal spat.
The heated exchange came after Kharge concluded his speech on Operation Sindoor, particularly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Responding to Kharge's remarks, JP Nadda accused the Congress' Chief of "losing his mental balance". This led to uproar by the opposition, demanding an apology from the Leader of the House.
Afterwards, Nadda stood up and apologised to Kharge over his remarks. Chairman Ghanshyam Tiwari also announced that the remarks of JP Nadda have been expunged from the House.
Nadda said, "We respect the LoP. I withdrew my words. I apologise if you are hurt. But you, too, were led astray by emotions. You went so astray that you could not be mindful of even the dignity of the PM. That is sad."
"He (RS LoP Mallikarjun Kharge) is a very senior leader but the way in which he had commented on the PM...I can understand his pain. He (PM Modi) has been there since 11 years now. He happens to be the most popular leader of the world..." Nadda added.
As Leader of House in Rajya Sabha JP Nadda withdrew his comments on him, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "There are a few leaders in this House I have immense respect for. Nadda ji is one of them. Rajnath ji and he are ministers who speak without losing their balance. He is telling me today. This is a matter of shame. He should apologise, I am not going to leave this alone."
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Indian Army and security forces for the success of Operation Sindoor, saying the operation was carefully planned to target terrorists while ensuring no harm to ordinary citizens in Pakistan.
He also congratulated the forces for killing three terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that they were from the same group that had "brutally killed 26 innocent and blameless people" in Pahalgam on April 22.
Speaking during a special discussion on the operation in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said, "I congratulate the Indian Army and other security forces through this House for their success in eliminating three TRF terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. This is the same TRF whose terrorists brutally killed 26 innocent and blameless people in the Poonch area on April 22."
He said the operation aimed to eliminate terrorist hideouts and reinforce India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism. "The purpose of this operation was to destroy terrorist hideouts and to send a clear message that India maintains zero tolerance against terrorism," Singh said.
The Defence Minister noted that the operation was based on detailed planning. "Before executing Operation Sindoor, our forces thoroughly studied every aspect. We had several options. But we chose the option that would cause maximum damage to terrorists and their bases while ensuring no harm to Pakistan's ordinary citizens," he said.